Crumbs
by Jagged Epiphany
Summary: A series of oneshots featuring Harry and Alicia Spinnet. Everything from missing OotP scenes to postHogwarts. Why not give something new a try?
1. Chinese Whispers

Disclaimer: I own nothing of value.

A/N: These one-shots were written for the Cookie Jar of Chasing the Snitch. I figured I'd post them here because people have been asking me if there are any other H/A stories. Sadly there aren't really. It's also to apologise for the lack of Sugar and Spice updates. You won't have to wait much longer. I'll eventually post three of these one-shots. I hope you enjoy them! They were great fun to write.

I wrote this specific one-shot before OotP, so for obvious reasons it's AU. It's set in Alicia's last year and it doesn't have anything to do with the plot of Sugar and Spice.

* * *

I adjusted my glasses and straightened my robes. Honestly, I've faced dragons, Death Eaters and a Dark Lord. Why should I be scared of a girl? Ron always said a girl would be my undoing.

I guess that's why I couldn't talk to her. Fear of rejection. Inferiority complex. I would have made an interesting case for Sigmund Freud. He'd have some complicated psychoanalytical reason for my behaviour, but the truth it that I'm just a coward.

What if she laughs in my face? Not that she's the type to do that. As far as I know, Alicia Spinnet is a kind and loyal girl. Not that I know this from experience. Just observation. I do a lot of that to make up for being too frightened to talk to her.

Anyhow, I remember a couple of months ago when Malfoy was picking on Neville in Hogsmeade. Ron and I had been about to step in when Alicia appeared out of nowhere and took Neville firmly by the hand. Malfoy just gaped stupidly as Alicia led a very startled Neville into the Three Broomsticks and proceeded to buy him a Butterbeer.

I don't even think Alicia knew Neville very well. She just saw a fellow Gryffindor in trouble and stepped in. She managed to embarrass and stupefy Malfoy without uttering a syllable. From that moment I was hooked. But I wasn't the only one. Neville was all red faced and goggle eyed for weeks, though he's back to following Ginny around now.

That leaves Alicia to me. Or that was the plan at least. Now I wasn't so sure. I'd been furtively watching her for nearly an hour and a total of seven guys had tried to chat her up. Not that I was counting, of course.

Alicia turned away each hopeful with an apologetic smile, which confused the hell out of me. Gryffindor had just made it into the Quidditch final and we were in the midst of one of the wildest parties ever. Everyone seemed to be snogging someone else.

Not Alicia though. She was sitting in an armchair by herself.

The only logical explanation I could come up with was that she already had a boyfriend. Of course, I could always just go and ask her. Cold sweat slid down my neck at the very thought. Or perhaps not.

I peered around the common room and spotted Angelina and Katie sitting at a table. I had a great idea. I could ask them if Alicia had a boyfriend! That way I wouldn't have to confront her personally.

I wiped my sweaty palms down my robes. As casually as I could, I wandered over and took a seat across from the girls.

"Oh, hello, Harry." Angelina smiled up at me. "Enjoying yourself?"

I nodded politely. That was about all the small talk I could abide. I was liable to burst if I didn't get my answer. "Can I ask you girls a question?"

Katie stopped examining her nails and looked up with sudden interest. "Sure, Harry."

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I was just wondering if Alicia has a boyfriend?"

Angelina raised a curious eyebrow. "Why?"

Did I mention I was about to burst? "Does it matter?"

"Well, people don't normally ask questions like that unless they..." Katie trailed off.

"You like Alicia!" Angelina exclaimed.

My stomach suddenly jumped. "No, I don't. Forget I ever said anything. I'm going to go...over there."

Katie didn't even hear me. "Fred, George! Get over here!"

I felt like bashing my head on the table as the twins stopped trying to force-feed Crookshanks a Canary Cream to join the conversation.

"What's going on?"

"Guess who Harry likes!"

Oh, no.

"Alicia!" Katie announced excitedly.

"Ickle Harry likes our Leesh?"

"Apparently."

"I don't! I asked a simple question!"

It was too late though. My life was as good as over.

"Hey, Seamus! Harry likes Alicia Spinnet!"

"Really? Oi, Dean!"

And it went from there. I slouched in my seat for a while. The news spread like wildfire and people began to look at me. At this point I'd had enough and I retreated to my room. I'd probably have to leave the country and become a fugitive like Sirius. I could learn to like eating rats. Really, I could. There was no way I was ever going to live it down.

xxxxx

Alicia sipped Butterbeer in her armchair, oblivious to the whispers concerning herself and the Boy Who Lived. She probably would have remained oblivious if it weren't for the Creevey brothers. The two of them were having a conversation behind Alicia's armchair.

"Did you hear who Harry likes?" Colin squeaked.

Alicia's interest peaked at the mention of Harry's name.

"Ooh! Who does he like?"

"Alicia Spinnet. You know, from the Quidditch team!"

Alicia almost choked.

"Really!"

"Yeah! Harry likes Alicia! I heard it from Neville who heard it from Ginny who heard it from Dean who heard it from Seamus who heard it from Fred and George. _They_ heard it from Angelina and Katie who got it straight from Harry's mouth!"

"Wow!" Dennis sighed, obviously impressed that his brother was so high up the gossip chain.

At first Alicia figured she had misheard, but there was no mistaking it this time. She scrambled up and peered over the back of the chair. "Are you serious?"

Both Creevey brothers jumped in surprise.

Colin cringed. "Whoops."

"Eep," was all Dennis could manage.


	2. Alicia Plays Doctor

Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't make money unfortunately.

A/N: This little cookie was prepared not long after OotP came out. It's a missing scene that I thought would be nice to write. But it's not fluffy or romantic. Mainly because during OotP Harry was busy mooning over Cho and being an angst-ridden teen.

At the end I've included a little peek at the next chapter of 'Aren't Little Girls Made of Sugar and Spice?', which is my full-length H/A fic. If you enjoy these cookies you should give the real thing a try.

* * *

Angelina had just put the team through another gruelling training session and Alicia was trudging in the general direction of the changing room. As she pushed the door open she heard a familiar voice. 

"Harry, is it possible to pull every muscle at once?"

Alicia entered to see Ron lying on a bench as Harry packed his Quidditch gear back into his bag.

"Feeling a little sore, Ronniekins?" she cooed. Ron sat up quickly and, upon seeing it was only Alicia, lay back down.

"Don't call me Ronniekins," he said automatically. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that. I thought you were bloody Angelina coming to tell me to do another lap of the pitch. You're absolutely sure she's not trying to do us all in?"

"Don't worry, Ron, your body will become desensitised to the torture soon and you'll just feel numb. Right, Harry?"

Harry looked over at Alicia. "Uh, sorry?"

"Never mind. Are you all right?" She frowned at Harry and took a seat by him. "You didn't get another week of detention with Umbridge did you? Angelina will kill you."

He shook his head and turned his back to her. Ron looked over and gave him a meaningful look. "No, I just finished my last lot of detentions last night."

"That's good. Just make sure you don't get anymore," she said as she pulled off her sweaty training robes. "It's absolutely impossible to live with Angelina at - Harry, what's this?"

"What's what?" he said urgently, without turning around.

Ron sat up and paled as Alicia pulled Harry's glove from his bag. She peered inside it. "There's blood in your glove!"

"Blood? Really?" Harry laughed weakly. "I wonder where that came from."

"Show me your hands, Potter."

"No, thank you."

"It wasn't a request, Harry."

He sighed and turned around. His right hand had a blood soaked handkerchief wrapped around it. "I cut my hand accidentally. It's really nothing."

"I don't think so, mister! That looks serious."

"You're an expert?" he demanded angrily.

"My mother's a Healer at St Mungo's and that's going to need treatment or it will scar. We can go right up to Madam Pomfrey now."

"No way. I've already been through this with Ron and Hermione."

"It's true," Ron put in helpfully. "He got into a right strop about it."

Harry glared at his best friend then turned back to Alicia. "My hand will be fine."

"Perhaps I should tell Angelina. I'm sure she'd like to know that her star Seeker is injured. She'll put you in a full-body bind and drag you to the hospital wing if she has to."

Harry's face reddened as his ire rose. "Look, it's really none of your business!"

"Probably not," she agreed calmly. "But you can't go around losing blood. Even you should know that's dangerous. At least let me bandage it properly."

Harry looked down at the blood soaked handkerchief. "Fine. I'll let you bandage it but you can't say anything to anyone."

"Deal. Sit down and take off that disgusting rag," she said briskly. "Ron, get the first aid kit from the Captain's office."

Ron limped off to retrieve the kit and Alicia helped Harry peel away the handkerchief. "Lord, that's a nasty cut. Looks deep, too."

"Here you go," Ron mumbled and dropped the kit in Alicia's lap. He slumped back over to the bench and collapsed onto it gratefully.

"It'll only take a second," she assured him. She placed his hand delicately on her leg and fished around in the kit for some gauze.

There was a loud snort from Ron at this point and Harry realised his hand was on Alicia's thigh. He shot Ron a warning look and he stifled a giggle. Alicia carefully picked up Harry's hand and began to dab at it to remove some of the dry blood. "You have nice hands. Big enough to make a handy Chaser or Keeper," she commented airily.

"Well, you know what they say about guys with big hands."

"Ron!" Harry interrupted quickly.

"I thought that was feet, not hands." Alicia smiled and shook her head. She went back to work on Harry's hand and frowned. Most of the blood was gone and the cut was very unusual. She yanked him closer to peer at the cut. "What the hell did you do to yourself? Did you write something on your hand?"

"No! It's not writing," Harry said desperately as he tried to pull his hand away. Alicia tightened her grip and pain shot up his arm.

Alicia was already trying to read it. "I…musk? No, must…I must…not…tell…flies? Uh, ties?"

"Lies," Harry sighed.

"I must not tell lies? Why on earth would you cut that into your hand? Did Fred and George give you something? I'll go and knock them both out if they did."

"It wasn't Fred and George," he said softly.

"Then who did it? I'll go sort them out."

Harry hesitated then dropped his gaze to the floor. "It was Umbridge."

Alicia gaped. Well, there would be no 'sorting out' Umbridge. That woman was beyond help. "She _cut_ you! A _teacher_ cut you!"

"Technically I did it myself." He explained all about the quill and Alicia became more horrified by the second. She was still holding Harry's hand between her own and was unaware that it was seeping blood all over her.

"You have to tell Dumbledore or McGonagall! Umbridge can't get away with this!"

"That's exactly what we've been telling him," Ron said.

"I'm not going to anyone about this! I can handle it all by myself!'

"You're fifteen years old!" Alicia reasoned desperately.

"And I've already been through more in my life than you ever will! And I've handled it all by myself!"

Alicia had never seen Harry like this. Ron obviously had because he was looking on nonchalantly. Alicia was alarmed by the way Harry was shaking. "But-"

"No buts," he said firmly. "Now, either you bandage my hand or leave."

Alicia was very inclined to leave when he was acting like this. But the sight of him shaking, sweating and generally seething made her stay. Merlin knows what he'd do if she left. Without saying anything she went back to work on his hand.

She was just fastening the bandage when Harry finally spoke again. Thankfully, he was a lot calmer. "Thanks, Alicia. I'm also sorry I yelled at you."

Alicia just sighed and stood up. She grabbed a small tube from the first aid kit and threw it to Ron. "Here, that'll help with your sore muscles. Harry, that bandage won't last very long and you'll probably need to change it tomorrow. Come and see me if you have trouble."

"Thanks again."

Alicia stared in to Harry's startling green eyes for a moment. Then she shook her head in despair. "Harry, you're either very brave or very stupid. I'm just not sure which."

"I'd say a little of both," Ron said thoughtfully.

"Thanks, Ron. Come on, we get back to the common room before Hermione comes looking for us with one of her lectures." Harry picked up his bag. "Don't tell anyone about this."

"I know."

"All right. We'll see you later, then."

"Yeah. See you boys later."

They walked out (or shuffled, in Ron's case) and Alicia sat down heavily. It wasn't till then that she noticed Harry Potter's blood was smeared all over her hands and clothes. She would keep her word to Harry, but Umbridge was still going to pay.

"Time to call in the experts."

She grinned to herself. Fred and George were never able to resist a challenge.

* * *

EXCERPT FROM 'SUGAR AND SPICE.'

A/N. We're at the lunch for the grand final Quidditch teams. Alicia and Harry are both attending, but not as a couple. Alicia overhears a hoard of reporters asking Harry about his beautiful date. Alicia gets rather jealous and is determined to find out who the other woman is. Here we go!

* * *

Lee grabbed her arm quickly. "Why would Harry bring another woman to an event he knew you were attending?" 

"Because he's a womanising bastard. I should have seen it coming. Damn those eyes of his!"

"Count to ten," Lee advised hastily. "Better yet, count to a thousand. Everything looks better once you've counted to a thousand. Ready? I'll start you off. One…two – say it with me, Alicia – three…next comes four…"

"Do your own bloody counting," Alicia snapped twisting away from him. "I'm not going to let him get away with this."

"Perhaps making a scene isn't the best thing to do. You could talk to him later or even-"

It was too late, of course. Alicia was marching towards the group with a long, determined stride. Lee hurried to catch up with her and offered more useless alternatives that she ignored.

"Excuse me," Alicia said firmly in the ear of a photographer, "I'd like to get through."

"Fat chance, sweetheart."

Politeness was obviously lost on the members of the press. Alicia began to elbow her way through. Lee grabbed the back of her robes and followed her through, apologising as they went.

At the centre of the group it was even harder to get through. Alicia tried her best but no one would budge. She jumped to try and see over the shoulder of the tall journalist in front of her, but all she managed to do was land on Lee's foot.

"Can we get out of here now?" Lee begged, balancing on one foot and trying to fend off photographers at the same time.

Alicia didn't even bother to answer. Lee knew what she would have said anyway. If she couldn't see over them, then she would simply have to see through them. Alicia dropped to her haunches and peered between the two reporters in front of her.

"What are you doing down there? You're insane. Get up before you get stepped on," Lee ordered.

"Wait, I can see Harry. He's not alone." Alicia squinted and pushed the reporter's robes aside. "Harry's with sombla…"

"What? Sombla isn't a word. What's a sombla? Alicia?"

Alicia had been going to say that Harry was with somebody. The last word turned into sombla when she actually saw Harry's 'date'. She was too stunned to answer Lee or even to make a run for it before Harry spotted her.

Alicia was still staring open mouthed when the reporter in front of her decided he had got all the info he needed. He stepped aside, revealing Alicia in her crouched position. Harry saw her immediately, his eyes widening slightly.

"You've got to be kidding," Lee groaned. "I had my foot stepped on for _this_?"


	3. The Birds and the Bees

Disclaimer: I own the kids, but that's about it.

A/N: This is the last of the cookies, I also think it's the yummiest. It's post-Hogwarts. Alicia and Harry are married and have three children. They get asked The Question.

This will complete Crumbs, but the good news is that my full-length H/A fic is going strong. The next chapter is very long and it should be ready any day now. If you liked these snippets then give that story a go.

* * *

It was a normal Saturday afternoon in the Potter household. Six-year-old Rosemary was colouring in with her four-year-old brother Jamie and Harry and Alicia were sitting on the floor with two-month-old Olivia lying between them.

Rosemary finished her picture of a unicorn and went to join her parents. Jamie threw down his crayon and hurried after his sister. He hated being left out. Rosemary settled herself on her father's lap and Jamie scowled.

"Plenty of room," Harry assured his son and pulled him onto his lap as well.

Alicia smiled. He was so good with the kids, though he did tend to spoil them. Despite that, he knew how to avoid fights well enough and they actually listened to him most of the time.

"Mummy…"

Alicia looked up at Rosemary and shook her head. "No more ice cream."

"But Jamie had more than me!"

"You both had one scoop each," Alicia said firmly. "You can't eat ice cream all day."

"Why not?" Jamie pouted.

"Because you'll get fat." Harry tickled him and he squealed with laughter.

Rosemary opened her green eyes as far as she could and smiled sweetly. "Daddy, can't I just have a little bit more? Please?"

"Well, surely a little-"

"No, Harry." Alicia pointed her finger at him. "Don't let her suck you in."

Harry didn't want to incur his wife's wrath. The last time that happened he ended up sleeping in Jamie's room for a week. "Your mother's right. No more ice cream today, honey."

"You're mean." She crossed her arms in a huff and turned away.

"Rosie, I know what it's like to have mean guardians and I can tell you I'm not mean, nor is your mother."

Rosemary was still too young to understand her father's past so she didn't say anything. They all watched Olivia gurgle and kick her legs in the air for a while. Then Rosemary said, "Mummy, where do babies come from?"

"Olivia was in my tummy, remember?"

"Yes, but how did she get _in_ there?"

Alicia and Harry exchanged a glance. Harry looked horrified and Alicia stifled a laugh. "You should ask your daddy. He knows more about that stuff than I do."

"Alicia!"

"Daddy, how did Olivia get into mummy's tummy?" Jamie asked, wanting to get in on the act as well.

"You're evil," Harry hissed at his wife.

Alicia smiled innocently. "I'm not touching that question with a ten-foot pole. Besides, it's time for Olivia's feed. Have fun, sweetheart."

Harry shook his head urgently. "No way. You can't leave."

"I have to feed the baby, unless you're lactating and would care to swap with me of course." She scooped up Olivia and Harry gave her a warning glare that vowed he'd pay her back.

Alicia left and Rosemary and Jamie slid off Harry's lap and sat across from him. They stared at him expectantly and he wondered where to start. He had no idea how he was supposed to explain it.

"Olivia grew in mummy's tummy," he began tentatively.

"She grew?" Jamie frowned.

"From a little seed."

"Like a tree?" Rosemary asked.

"No. Not a real seed," Harry sighed.

"A seed but not a seed?"

"Yes." Harry realised that would make no sense at all to them, but it was the best he could do.

"How did the seed get into her tummy?"

"Did she eat it?" Jamie exclaimed. "I bet she ate it!"

Rosemary suddenly looked stricken. "I ate a sesame seed once. I don't anything to grow in my tummy! Daddy!"

"Relax," he soothed. "Babies don't grow from sesame seeds. It was a special seed that mummy and I made together."

Jamie, who obviously thought he had been left out again, demanded, "When can I make one?"

"Not till you're forty," Harry answered promptly.

"That's not fair!"

"How did you make the seed?" Rosemary interrupted.

This was what Harry had been dreading. He rubbed his forehead and took a deep breath. "All right. Do you know the difference between boys and girls?"

"Oh! I do! I do!" Jamie bounced excitedly. Any chance to show up his older sister was bliss. He said in his best grown-up voice, "Girls wear dresses."

Harry was _really_ going to make Alicia pay. "That's not quite what I meant." Jamie's lower lip trembled and Rosemary laughed at him. Harry reached across and ruffled his hair. "But that was a very good answer."

"It's easy." Rosemary flicked a dark brown pigtail over her shoulder. "Girls are prettier."

"Are not!" Jamie protested.

"Girls are smarter, too." She poked her tongue out, something that she knew would enrage her brother.

"Are not! Daddy, tell her it's not true!"

"It is so true! _Everyone_ knows it. Tell him, daddy," she urged.

Jamie yanked on one of his sister's pigtails and she shrieked. Jamie laughed gleefully and Rosemary narrowed her eyes then pounced on him, chanting "Girls are better!" over and over again.

"Ok, that's enough." Harry calmly stood up grabbed Rosemary around the waist. "No more fighting."

Rosemary stopped struggling in his arms and frowned thoughtfully. "What was the question again?"

Harry suddenly became aware that he had been sweating. The last thing he needed was for one of them to remember the horrible conversation and start asking impossible questions again. Alicia was probably going to kill him but…

"Who wants ice cream?"

"ME!" both children screamed in unison.

He set Rosemary down and the two of them ran off to the kitchen. Careful to make sure they were exactly the same size, he gave each of them a scoop of ice cream and went back to read the Daily Prophet. Alicia emerged not long after and sat beside Harry.

"That was quick," he commented as she handed him the baby.

Alicia just winked. "Her feed isn't for another half an hour. So it went well?"

"Definitely."

"You're so brave." She kissed him on the cheek. "Where are the monsters?"

"Kitchen."

She gave him a surprised look, which quickly turned suspicious. Without a word she strode off to the kitchen. Harry closed his eyes and counted. "One. Two. Three."

"Harry Potter!"

He grinned down at his gurgling daughter. "Looks like I'm swapping with Jamie tonight."


End file.
